ELI5: when I touch a radio (specifically the antenna), signal comes in clearer from explainlikeimfive
Article ID : 00024896 / Last Modified : 10/11/2021 Refer to the following guidelines when troubleshooting poor radio reception and static interference: NOTE: Refer to your owner's manual for model-specific information on the features and capabilities of your radio. Manuals are posted on your model support page.
FM reception
AM reception
In my kitchen, I have LED's underneath my cabinets, and just underneath them is a radio on the counter. When the lights are on there radio goes fuzzy and unlistenable. Is there a way I can make this stop, or would I have to connect it to the internet and use up data? (Only get 60GB's a month). Is there a new radio I can buy that this wouldn't affect? It even affects a radio upstairs!
Anything that generates an electrical field can introduce unwanted static into your car's audio system. The alternator, windshield wiper motor, and the components in a sound system generate different levels and types of noise and static. So, while it's possible to isolate and fix the source of almost any type of car audio static, it often takes real work to find it and fix it. The first step in finding the source of car audio static or noise is to determine whether the problem is with the radio, accessories such as a built-in CD player, or external accessories like your iPhone. To do this, turn on the head unit so that you can hear the offending noise. When the noise is only present when the engine is turned on, and it changes in pitch along with the engine's RPM, the problem probably has to do with the alternator. This type of car speaker whine can usually be fixed by installing a noise filter. If the noise is present regardless of whether the engine is running, take note of any audio sources associated with the noise and move on. If you only hear the static when listening to the radio and not when listening to CDs or any auxiliary audio sources, the problem is either with the antenna, the tuner, or an external source of interference. To determine the source of the interference, remove the head unit, locate the antenna wire, and perform other related operations.
Only embark on this fix if you're comfortable working with car audio. The steps of this process include:
If static occurs when you plug in an auxiliary audio source, such as an iPod or a satellite radio tuner, and it doesn't occur when you listen to the radio or CD player, you're dealing with a ground loop. If that's the case, locate the source of the ground loop and fix it, although installing a ground loop isolator may be an easier way to tackle the problem.
In other cases, you may find that you hear static regardless of which audio source you select. If you hear the noise when listening to the radio, CD player, and auxiliary audio sources, you might still be dealing with a ground loop problem, or noise is being introduced somewhere else in the system. To figure out where, refer to the previous section to rule out the ground and power wires. If you have an amplifier, it can also be a source of the noise. To determine if the noise is coming from the amp, disconnect the patch cables from the amp's input. If the noise goes away, reconnect them to the amp and disconnect them from the head unit. If the noise comes back, check how they are routed.
If the patch cables are routed near any power cables, rerouting them may fix the problem. If they are correctly routed, replacing them with higher quality, better-shielded patch cables may fix the problem. If it doesn't, a ground loop isolator may do the trick. If you hear a noise with the patch cables disconnected from the amplifier inputs, examine the amplifier. If any portion of the amp is in contact with bare metal, relocate it or mount it on a nonconductive spacer made of wood or rubber. If that doesn't fix the problem, or the amp wasn't in contact with the vehicle frame or chassis, check the amp's ground wire. It should be less than two feet long and tightly attached to a good ground somewhere on the chassis. If it isn't, install a ground wire of the proper length and attach it to a known good ground.
If that doesn't fix the problem or the ground was good to begin with, the amp may be faulty.
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